Three Israeli elite paratrooper commandos killed in south Lebanon
Lebanon-Israel, Military, 2/24/1999

Lebanese resistance forces firing machine-guns ambushed Israeli commandos in southern Lebanon, killing three Israeli and wounding five other soldiers, according to Lebanese resistance men statements.

In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called this operation "a very, very bitter blow for us." Netanyahu added, "There is no question that this is a very big toll for Israel." He continued that one of the wounded was a "personal friend."

Tuesday's fighting occurred near the village of Meidoun, 17 km, west of Rashaya in southeast Lebanon and about 25 km north of the Israeli border.

In a statement the Lebanese resistance said its fighters intercepted a unit of Israeli commandos on the edge of the security zone as they were trying to sneak into the liberated part of south Lebanon. Moreover, the Lebanese national resistance has asserted that some 15 Israeli soldiers were killed or wounded in the ambush by the Lebanese resistance on an Israeli commando force while infiltrating the hills of al-Jabbour and Maidoun on Tuesday at dawn.

The Lebanese resistance gave new details about this operation which it described as a "second Ansareyah war." It said that groups of the special force of the Lebanese resistance on Tuesday at dawn ambushed an Israeli commando force which tried to penetrate the liberated area of the Western Bekaa.

The resistance fighters planned an ambush and attacked the Israeli commando force using machine guns and bombs. Three hours of fighting took place. The confrontation resulted in the death or wounding of 15 members of the Israeli force, causing a state of horror and confusion among the Israeli force, the resistance said. The Israeli force was backed up by helicopters which opened heavy machine gun fire in an attempt to break the siege on the targeted force, but the attempts failed.

The statement continued that the resistance-men returned to their positions safely, bringing with them captured Israeli weapons.

Moreover, an Israeli army spokesman said the highest-ranking officer killed, a 30-year old major, commanded an elite paratrooper force.

The Hizbullah Party's political advisor, Hussein Khalil, said that Tuesday's operation launched the Israeli occupation forces by the Lebanese resistance in the Western Bekaa is fresh evidence that the occupation troops will never be secure and Israel's "plans are a fiasco."

In a statement he made on Tuesday, Khalil said Israel has no choice but to withdraw from the occupied Lebanese territories.

Khalil continued: "While Israel continues to carry out acts of aggression and fences Arnoun by barbed wire in complete knowledge of the international community, the Lebanese resistance men's Tuesday daring operation is a tough response to all Israel's illusions."

He vowed to continue the path of resistance and liberation.

Previous Stories:
  Israel bombs house of Ahmad Na'eem Haidar in Arab Salim town   (2/20/1999)
  Continued Israeli aggressions against Lebanon, one Israeli soldier killed   (2/17/1999)
  Israeli bombardment of Qekya's kill 35 sheep   (1/29/1999)

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